She’s now the nation’s sweetheart – she stole hearts during her original stint as judge on the X Factor as she became emotionally involved with her contestants.

She’s the ‘it girl’ when it comes to celebrity endorsements – trusted by huge corporations to be the respectable, glamorous face of their products.

However it very nearly went a very different road for the former ‘Girls Aloud’ star.

Back in her Cheryl Tweedy days, she’ grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons.

In 2003, in the very early days of her pop career, she landed a conviction for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

She was only 19 at the time, and attacked toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa in a nightclub in Surrey after she tried to stop the singer taking lollipops.

However her stint on the X Factor managed to make her the nation’s golden girl.

She shed tears, and became emotional involved with contestants – and viewers became emotionally involved with her.

She could now sell air if she tried hard to, and an impressive list of companies choose Cheryl as their public face.

Colin Farrell

Our very own Colin has grabbed headlines in the past for his hell-raiser lifestyle.

There was a time when the Dublin native would regularly be seen leaving night clubs in the early hours of the morning, cigarette in hand and woman on his arm

At the peak of his ‘bad boy’ fame a sex tape featuring the star and a former Playboy model leaked online.

He has since admitted in interviews that at the time he had issues with alcohol and drugs.

He recently told ryan Tubridy on the Latre Late: “For years I could indulge in certain things. I had high tolerance for various drugs for years.

“I used to go bananas for five months then take the foot off the gas for two months and clean up a bit.

“I was sad. I was drinking loads.

“When I ever drink with my mates, we’d go to a pub on Wednesday night and have six pints, everyone would go home.

“I’d get a bag of powder, four joints and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and drank until five in the morning.

However his bad boy days are firmly a thing of the past now.

He is a devoted father to James and Henry, and gives huge support to various charities, including the Special Olympics and Irish LGBT youth group BeLonG To.

Britney Spears

When the Princess of pop stormed the charts in 1998, she was the image of white picket fence American innocence.

Her bubble gum pop songs and high octane dance routines made her a global star at the age of 16.

However the 31-year-old went off off the rails in her early 20s.

She infamously married a childhood friend in Las Vegas, only to file for an annulment just hours later.

In a very public breakdown, she shaved off her hair and began smashing an umbrella off the roof of a parked car.

Amid increasing concerns for her welfare, her family stepped in to restore order to her life.

She was placed under the conservatorship of her father, Jamie, who still holds control over her financial and business affairs.

She made her pop comeback in 2008 and has recently landed a residency in a Las Vegas casino, joining the likes of Celine Dion, Elton John and Cher.

She has become something of a role model for young mothers – regularly posting snaps to social media of her enjoying family time with her two young boys.

Robert Downey Junior

He is box office gold right now – having starred in six movies that have grossed over $500m in cinemas.

In fact two of his most recent outings, Avengers and Iron Man III, grossed over $1bln.

However it wasn’t always a smooth run for the star.

Between 1996 and 2001 he was arrested numerous times on drug related charges, including related to cocaine and heroine.

He underwent several stints in court-mandated drug treatment centres during the time.

He has been clean for well over a decade now - however it is reported that he still has a clause in his contract that he does not get paid the full amount for a movie role until filming is completed, as an insurance policy.

Angelina Jolie

The ‘Maleficent’ star has also undergone an image transformation.

A video uncovered earlier this month show the actress looking gaunt and unwell, and was shot by her then alleged heroine dealer.

In 2011, Jolie told the television show 60 Minutes: "I went through heavier, darker times and I survived them. I didn't die young, so I’m very lucky. There are other artists and people who didn’t survive certain things.

However she has now become a fully fledged humanitarian, and has even been appointed as a UN ambassador.

She and Brad Pitt have also adopted three children together, bringing their total brood to six.